Device for lifting cooking utensils or the like



u y 1942- E. H. LUCK 2,289,976

' DEVICE FOR LIFTING COOKING UTENSILS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 10, 1941 E=T .z. gym. .IYIW

Patented July 14, 1942 DEVICE FOR LIFT'ING COOKING UTENSILS OR THE LIKE Edgar H. Luck, Hillsdale, Ontario, Canada Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,135 In Canada March 26, 1940 4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for lifting pie plates and other cooking vessels or utensils or other similar articles and the object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and operation, may be cheaply manufactured and yet be durable and efficient.

The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and are, by way of example, illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device showing it in its inoperative position;

Fig. 2 a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the device in its operative position in engagement with a pie plate.

The device comprises a frame I which may be made from a single length of wire. The frame includes a body portion having an end 2, sides 3, lateral extensions 4, downwardly extending jaw portions 5, rearwardly directed jaws 6 and a hand grip I. The latter extends rearwardly from the said end 2 and may be provided with an insert 8 made of wood or other suitable madirected rearwardly from the extremities of the jaw portions.

n the end 2 is pivoted a carrier I2 which also may be made from a single length of wire. The carrier comprises a transverse rod I3 having jaw portions I4 which are curved at I5 intermediate their ends to partially embrace the end 2 of the frame I. A transverse bar It, which also may be made of a single length of wire, is looped at I! around each jaw portion I4 and is curved at I8 in a direction opposite to the adjacent curvature I5 to co-operate with the latter to form a pivotal connection on the end 2. The free ends of the bar It are looped at I9 around the jaw portions I l, or are otherwise secured thereto, above the curvatures I8 whereby the latter are firmly positioned relative to the adjacent curvatures I5 of the jaw portions I4 to prevent longitudinal displacement of said portions and yet permit said portions to swing freely on the end 2.

The jaw portions I4 on the carrier, when the latter is in its operative position, are directed downwardly and have forwardly directed jaws 20 at their extremities.

The transverse rod I3 of the carrier I2 may be engaged by the operators thumb to swing the pivoted jaws 20 towards the rigid jaws 6 so that the jaws will engage a cooking utensil to enable it to be lifted by the device. A spring 2| suitably engaging or connected with the frame I and the pivoted carrier I2 tends to swing the pivoted jaws 20 away from the rigid jaws 6 to an inoperative position. The spring 2i may be a coil disposed on the frame end 2 with one end of the spring looped around the upper end of the adjacent pivoted jaw portion I4 and the other end looped around the hand grip l. The transverse bar l6 extends from one jaw portion I4 to theother to prevent the pivoted jaws from spreading apart and it passes beneath the hand grip I so that it engages the underside thereof to limit the swinging movement of the carrier by the spring 2|. The transverse rod I3 is thus positioned for ready engagement by the operator when it is desired to swing the pivoted jaws into their operative position.

From the above description it is obvious that by positioning the rigid jaws 6 under the usual rim 22 of a pie plate 23 (or other cooking utensil such as a pudding dish etc.) and applying a slight pressure to the transverse rod l3, the pivoted jaws 20 will be swung into engagement with the utensil beneath the rim at the side thereof remote from that engaged by the rigid jaws. The operator may then readily lift the plate or dish into or out of a heated oven in a minimum period of time without danger of being burnt and without any appreciable loss of heat from the oven. It will be noted that the jaws 6 and 20 are well spaced from the frame I so that the latter will not contact deep icings on pies etc. The jaw portions 5, I4 are directed forwardly and rearwardly respectively and the jaws 6, 26 are directed upwardly to facilitate the engagement thereof with rims of pie plates having inturned edges.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a wire frame having a transverse end portion; a hand grip carried by said end portion; a plurality of jaw portions rigidly carried by said frame, the jaw portions being remote from the hand grip, extending downwardly and forwardly from the frame, and having rearwardly directed jaws at their extremities for engaging the underside of a rim of a cooking to swing its jaw portions away from the first mentioned jaw portions, the transverse bar being adapted to engage the underside of the hand grip to limit the movement imparted to the carrier by the said rocking means, the transverse rod being positioned above the pivot of the carrier and adjacent the hand grip for engagement by the thumb of an operators hand while holding the hand grip thereby so that the jaw portions on the carrier may be rocked to their operative position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a wire frame having an end portion; a hand grip carried by said end portion; downwardly extending jaw portions rigidly carried by said frame at points remote from the hand grip for engaging the underside of a rim of a cooking utensil; a wire carrier provided with downwardly extending jaw portions for engaging the underside of said rim at points spaced circumferentially from one another and from the first mentioned jaw portions, the jaw portions on the carrier being curved intermediate their ends to partially embrace the said end portion of the frame; and wire means carried by said jaw portions on the carrier for completing the said partial embracements of the said end portion to form a pivotal connection for the carrier thereon.

3. A device of the character described comprising a frame having a hand grip; a plurality of jaw portions rigidly carried by said frame, the jaw portions being remote from thehand grip, extending downwardly and forwardly from the frame, and having rearwardly directed jaws at their extremities for engaging the underside of a rim of a cooking utensil; and a carrier pivoted on said frame comprising a transverse rod having downwardly and rearwardly extending jaw portions on the opposite ends thereof, and forwardly directed jaws on the extremities of the last mentioned jaw portions for engaging the underside of said rim at points spaced circumferentially from one another and from the first mentioned jaws, the transverse rod being positioned above the frame and adjacent the hand grip for engagement by the thumb of an operators hand while holding the hand grip thereby, the frame having an end portion, the jaw portions on the carrier being curved intermediate their jaws and the transverse rod to partially embrace the said end portion of the frame; and wire means carried by said jaw portions on the carrier for completing the said partial embracements of the said end portion to form a pivotal connection for the carrier thereon.

4. A device of the character described comprising a wire body portion having an end, a hand grip extending rearwardly from said end, and jaw portions extending downwardly from said body portion remote from said end and hand grip; a wire carrier including a transverse rod positioned adjacent to and above the hand grip and having jaw portions extending downwardly therefrom at opposite ends thereof, the last mentioned jaw portions being curved intermediate their ends to partially embrace the said end of the body portion; a transverse bar positioned beneath the hand grip, being connected with the last mentioned jaw portions and being curved to partially embrace the said end of the body portion for co-operation with the curved part of the jaw portions to form a pivotal connection on the said end; and means tending to rock the carrier to swing its jaw portions away from the first mentioned jaw portions, the transverse bar being adapted to engage the underside of the hand grip to limit the movement imparted to the carrier by the said rocking means, the transverse rod serving as a thumb piece for rocking the jaw portions on the carrier to their operative position.

EDGAR H. LUCK. 

